Cushion-wheel



G. M. PETERS.

CUSHION WHEEL.-

APPLICATION FILED MAR. so, 1917.

Patented June 8, 1920.A

SHEET l.

2 SHEETS- G. M. PETERS.

CUSHION WHEEL.

, APPLICATION FILED MAR. 3o, 1917.

Patented June 89 19%.l

2 SHEETS--SHEET 2.

w (SMM,

:PATENT OFFICE .Groer Mismas@ Kiarwoauissora! f.

Tozall whom'z't may concern rcorrespendingparts throughout the several Be it known v'that l, GEORGE M. PETERS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kirkwood, in the Vcounty of St. Louis `and State of Missouri, have invented new and useful Improvements vin Cushion-Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements -in Vcushion wheels for vehicles,I proposing a construction wherein lcushioning media are operatively interposed between the telly and the axle and wherein the wheel is specially adapted for motor vehicles 'bythe provision of universal driving connections between the axle and the wheel proper.

The objects of the invention, brieiiy stated, yare to provide a wheel of the type identified vwherein 4the universal driving connections are compactly organized yet have great strength `to resist the torque to which they are'subjected; and wherein the wheel hub, of which the said universalcon- Vnections form a part, is adaptable to'` various constructions and arrangements of cushioning media and is readily accessible .for the purposes ,ofrenewah lubrication,or repair. I

Embodimentsofthe invention are illustrated in "the accompanyingV drawings, whereinz j .Figure 1V is a view `partly linside elevation and partly in central section .of a-wheel vin which the features of :the inventionare incorporated Fig. f2 1s a cross-sectional view thereof;

' -Fign 3 is a Adetail elevation, and Fig. A; is

a detail sectional view showing a flexible sealing fring 4employed yin the construction shown in Figs. 1. and 2; I

Fig. 5 is avdeta/i'l sectional view .showing :an Vair valve with `which e'ach spoke .ofthe wheel is provided;

`Figs. 6 and y7 are detail sectional views ,on the lines16f6y and 7.-7 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 8 is a detail perspective view of an element 4oa universal joint driving connection between the axle and the wheel. Y

Fig. 9 isa cross sectional view showing a modiflied construction. v f

V'Similar characters of reference 4designate views.

A lSpecii'uiati'on of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 30, V1917. Serial )llo-158,728.v

f VVons,nrcirr-wnnnr.

. Patented June 8, 192.0,

The hub 3l includes elements which are,`

stationary with respect to the wheel proper and other relatively movable elementswhicli are stationary with respect to the axle 4:.

As shown, the hub includes an outer ring 5 formed with radially projecting sockets 6 Yin which the spokes 2 are secured .and side plates 7 and 8 -carried by and projecting i nward from the ring-5, theplate k8 being defv tachable from said ring, fthesey being the elements which-are.stationary with respect to the wheelproper. Within the hub," the axle has fast thereon a sleeve 9 and the hub iscompleted by an inner ring 10 which is preferably ythreaded on the sleeve 9 and by an intermediate ring 11 which surrounds and has a close tit on the ringr10,the rings 10 and 11 being formed, respectively, with outwardly projecting side plates v12 and 13 which have a close fit against the innerfaces 'y of the side plates 7 and 8.

In the assemblage of the wheel, the sleeve 9 is 4fittedon the axle which is then inserted into thehub and the ringsl 10 and 11 are thereafter successivelylitted in position, the

ring 10 being threaded-upon the sleeve 9 -until its inward movement is limited'by the engagement of the side plate 12 with .the

side plate 7 and thefring llfbeingffitted` upon the ringjlO and moved inwardly until its inward movement is limited by. its engagement with the side plate 12.1,*After the parts of ythe'- universal jointr Vconnecting means, to be hereafter described between' VUthe axle and the wheel have been `fitted, the

side plate 8 is secured against theV ring 5,

.asrshown inFig. 2, to confine the ring 1v1 in position and to close the internal chamber 14; of which the ring `5, ring 117 and SI-1de plates 7 8, 12 and 13 form walls.V

The spokes :2 are loi: hollow k,construction and are closed at their outer ends `by the sockets 15 in which they are itted.- "Plungers v16 disposed within the chamber 14 pro-V ject into the spokes 2 at the innerends 4thereof and .within said spokes are-provided-'with packing rings 17. It ispreferred, in order to cushion the floating action oftheA axlev 'relatively to the wheel,l .that the 'spokes 2 and chamber 14 shall be charged withVV air compressed to a :suitable degree, whereby ,whenv any of theplungers 16 moves outward, Y

suchrmovement Vwillbenopposed @bythe air cushion within lits. companion spoke.` l' The ,plungers 16 .are-,each formed Ywith'fducts V1,8 extending between etheir innerY andfouter c thefaxle and the wheel.

ends and at their outer ends arerprovidedV with valves "19 which will be normally held closed by the air pressure within vthe spokes 2. 'It Vwill be apparent that if air throughr 18 and past the valve 19 into the spokes 2, x

thereby providing for the effects stated.

In order to assist the cushioning action ofthe air within the spokes 2, and, independently thereof, if desired, it is preferred to provide withinfthechamber 14' helical compression springs 1Ga which surround the Vplungers v16 andbear at their outer ends against the ring 5 and at their inner ends against heads 21 provided 'on the inner ends of saidplungers, said heads bearing against the ring 11,' as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The invention proposes, in addition to the features' above described, a novel form of universal joint driving connectionbetween The said driving connection comprises an inner ball vmember 22 rigid with the axle and preferably formed at one end of the sleeve 9, an vouter ball member 23associated with the hub, and an externally spherical connection member 24 between themem-bers 22`and 23, the member 24 being. formed with or secured to the member 23 and having a socket for the member 22. The yplate 8 is formed with a laterally extended housing 25 which includes a socket 26 for the ball member23 and an end wall or closure 27 for said socket. The ball Vmembers 221and `28' and therespective 'sockets therefor are formed to coactintrans- Y mitting rotation from the axle to the wheel.`

For this purpose and as preferred said. sockets',vz'. e. vthe socket of'. the connecting member 24 and the socket 26'are'square and ,said `ball members-are of square section in .any .plane-at right angles `tothe axis and of generally circular cross-section in anytransverse plane, as clearly shown in Figs.V Y6', 7 land 8. Obviously, the `socket ofthe member 24 will permit a relative sliding movement of the member 22 in connection f with the increase or decrease of the distances relatively to the wheel. 7

The universal joint driving connection described possesses great strength, operates -withall requisite freedormand is compactly organized and accessibly arranged at( one side of thewheel. To provide for the requi- Vsite turning movements of vthe member 24 -aboutt-he member 22, and, at the same time, to Vpromote the compactness of organization, .the side plate 8v isY formed `with a central opening 29 through which the member k24C may operate; and for a similar purpose, the

rings and "11V are c'onjo-intly- Yformed Vto Vprovide a flaring recess 30'. f Y v vided.

It will, of course, be understood thatany suitable provision may be made to preventV leakageV of air from'tlie chamber 14.,l Thus,`

one or more packing gaskets may be inter# posed between the side plate 8 and the ring 5 throughout the annular area withinwhich `said side plate is secured by bolts or 'other'- wise to said ring.` VAt the opposite side of.

the wheel, a flexible packing ring 31 (Figj the brake drum 35, the imperforate side wall of which provides a dust-guard -for the y packing ring 31, and, in conjunction with the adjacent side plate 12, deines a chamberv 36 in whichthe annular scorings or corrugations of the ring 31v may have free play in connection with-the oating movements of the axle.

Fig. l9 shows a modificationwherein'the wheel hub and the universal joint driving means which connect the axle and the wheel are,-in general, of the construction alticv construction is used', Vthe same being mounted in `a chamberl .14:Va corresponding generally to the chamber 14 of the first embodiment. the ring 5 is made in two parts 5a and 5b, and

In the modified construction,V

the spokes 2a which areof solid-construc- I *y tionareiitted in suitable sockets 6a# whose mating Verhalt-sections are carried by the ring parts 5al and 5b. The parts 5* and 5b are provided with side plates 7a and `8a corresponding, generally, to the side plates 7 and -8 of the first embodimentand the side plate 8L is provided with a laterally. extended housing 25a corresponding to the housing 25 of the rst embodiment.Y .The rings 10a and 11a correspond to the rings 10 and 11 ofthe first embodiment. In the modification, itis preferred that the ring 11i-shall be threaded onthe ring 10a and shall abut an annular shoulder 38 with which the ring 10a is procrosssection for the cushion'.'ftube'k,v the* v said tube bearingati one sidef against `zthe The rings 10? and 11a are formedrings 10a and 11a and at its opposite .side

against'the ring part 5a.; In the modified construction, theconnecting member 241a of Athe universal joint andffwhich corresponds Yto the member24 of theirst embodiment-is plate'.

directly socketed in a recess a provided by suitably fashioning the adjacent faces of the rings lla and l()a and of the sleeve 9a.

I claim as my invention- 1. A cushion wheel having, in combination, a hub, an axle projecting into the hub, a sleeve mounted on the axle within the hub, the hub comprising an outer ring to which the spokes of the wheel are secured, side plates carried by and projecting inwardly from said ring, an inner ring directly mounted on said sleeve, an intermediate ring directly mounted on the inner ring, side plates carried by and projecting outward from the inner and intermediate rings and lying against the inner faces of the first named side plates,

Y all ot said rings and side plates providing a chamber for a cushioning medium, and universal joint connecting means between 4the axle and the hub having an element thereof provided on theend of said sleeve, the latter carrying at the side of the hub remote from said connecting means aV plate which lies against the Vouter face of the adjacent side 2. A cushionavheel having, in combination, a hub, an mclosed chamber for a cushioning medium arranged within said hub,

an axle projecting through said hub and chamber, and universal joint driving means between the axle and the hub located at one side of said chamber and comprising an in# ner ball member providedv on the end of the axle and rigid therewith, an outer ball member andv a connecting member carried by and rigid with the outer ball member and having a socket for the `inner ball member,

the hub including a removable side plate havingan end socket vfor the'outer ball 'member, said ball members having a rectangular cross-sectionin any plane at right In testimony whereof Ihave hereunto set my handin-presence of two subscribing witnesses. Y Y,

` GEORGE M. PETERS.k v Witnesses:` Y

' ROBERT H. DOHR, JNO. J. ROWE. 

